GFS Marketplace

GFS Marketplace opened its first grocery store in Sarasota County this week. Check out a quick virtual tour of the new store, located at 6307 S. Tamiami Trail.

The bulk grocery chain caters mostly to restaurant owners, but is open to anyone. Unlike Sam’s Club and Costco Wholesale, there is no membership required to shop. Read more about the new location here.

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For more shopping news in Southwest Florida, follow reporter Justine Griffin on Twitter and Facebook or email her at justine.griffin@heraldtribune.com. Read What’s In Store in print on Tuesdays.

Gordon Food Service Marketplace, a grocery chain that distributes primarily to restaurants and caterers, is getting close to opening its first store in Sarasota County.

The Grand Rapids, Mich.-based chain is hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony on Oct. 7 at 10 a.m., which will kick off an entire week of grand opening events. The 2,600-square-foot store will open on Sunday Sept. 28 in the former Sound Advice location at 6307 S Tamiami Trail near Stickney Point Road. Benderson Development Inc. bought the building in 2013.

GFS Marketplace has another location in Bradenton at 4605 14th St. Unlike other bulk-food competitors such as Costco Wholesale Club or Walmart Stores Inc.’s Sam’s Club, no membership is required at GFS Marketplace.

“We are pleased to be opening this new location in Sarasota,” said Jay Zylstra, president of GFS Marketplace. “We appreciate the opportunity to be able to offer our quality products and services to the residents of Sarasota.”

Grand opening festivities will continue through the week of Oct. 11. Customers can experience food tastings inside the store each day and enter a drawing for a chance to win a $300 shopping spree.

GFS Marketplace will be open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

For more shopping news in Southwest Florida, follow reporter Justine Griffin on Twitter and Facebook or email her at justine.griffin@heraldtribune.com. Read What’s In Store in print on Tuesdays.

Gordon Food Service, a grocery chain that distributes primarily to restaurants and caterers, will open its first store in Sarasota County next month.

The company will open a brand new 12,600-square-foot store on Sept. 28 in the former Sound Advice location at 6307 S Tamiami Trail near Stickney Point Road. Benderson Development Inc. bought the building in 2013.

In addition to its 130 marketplace stores across the country — including in Bradenton, Fort Myers and St. Petersburg — Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Gordon is the largest privately held food distributor in North America. GFS Marketplace stores range in size from 15,000-25,000 square feet — smaller than a typical Walmart Neighborhood Market or a Trader Joe’s outlet — and sell bulk foods and other items to the public.

Unlike other bulk-food competitors such as Costco Wholesale Club or Walmart Stores Inc.’s Sam’s Club, no membership is required at GFS Marketplace.

Bulk Nation USA closes

At the same time, a local GFS Marketplace comeptitor, Bulk Nation USA, closed its doors in Sarasota. The food retailer at 4034 S. Tamiami Trail, specialized in bulk offerings of dry goods like coffee, rice, pasta, nuts, candy, among other items. It remained open for a little more than a year.

According to the company’s website, it may be relocating the Sarasota store. The company has other locations in Tampa and Orlando.

For more shopping news in Southwest Florida, follow reporter Justine Griffin on Twitter and Facebook or email her at justine.griffin@heraldtribune.com. Read What’s In Store in print on Tuesdays.